Dads, how do you balance life and running?
I’ve been a competitive runner for well over half my life—starting xc and track in middle school and high school followed by racing with local clubs shortly after college (pre run-club-boom era, fwiw). I’ve clocked a sub 4:30 mile, sub-15:30 5K, a 70’ half, and a 2:30-low marathon. These are times I am incredibly proud of, especially with my debut marathon being just last year.
I’m now in my 30s and am a new dad of almost a year and just finished a training block for my second marathon ever. I am so, unbelievably tired between caring for my child (read: frequent night wakings), family and home responsibilities, work, and marathon training.
I’m struggling with deciding if I want to keep running after this block is over so I can focus my attention on all the things I’m too tired or too busy to do. As a new dad, my time for running is limited to super early mornings or lunch runs at work. Picking running means saying no to other things I’d like to do in my free time, and it’s feeling like running, and specifically marathon training, is running interference on my life.
That being said, I always wanted running to be a part of my life that I could share with my child. It has taught me discipline and brought me focus for so many years and was integral in forming lasting childhood friendships.
Any new dads out there have advice on how to continue high intensity training? Or advice on how to scale back without losing touch with a sport you enjoy being competitive in?